36:46.5N  28:56.3E

Like most boatowners we have a temperamental outboard engine on the dingy.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.  We think we have worked out the precise combination of throttle on,  choke on,  pull, choke off, throttle back and rejoice in starting it on the second pull for a while and then….. nothing. Back to the beginning, experimenting with different combo’s (you’d be surprised just how many you can come up with) until something works, remember to do it that way, works for a while and then…… whole cycle starts again.  It has been serviced, stripped down, checked, checked again but still it continues to impose its’ will on us rather than the other way round.  Only thing for it is to come to terms with these quirks, stay calm and remember always to have the oars with us.

Then it threw a new trick at us.  The screws that hold it on to the dingy both broke so that they wouldn’t tighten.  Being part of a solid block we were a bit concerned that it would mean a major part replacement just to fix two screws so with trepidation Mike took the engine to the nice people at Blues Yachting in Gocek.  Ah yes, a common problem.  Easy to fix.  “How will you do that” asked Mike; keen to learn.  “Secret” they said; “give us an hour”.  Not to be put off Mike tries asking more questions and engaging in lively banter then notices one of the team advancing with a blow torch flaming.  “There’s still petrol in it” explains Mike; “No problem” says the man.  Mike leaves hastily.  An hour later, with no sign of an explosion or conflagration, Blues Yachting produce the fixed outboard. 

No pictures so here’s one of the moon rising over Gocek anchorage.